Read Ebook: The Egyptian Book of the dead by Naville Edouard Translator Renouf P Le Page Peter Le Page Translator

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Ebook has 2224 lines and 161745 words, and 45 pages

R? issued the mandate to Thoth, that he should effect the triumph of Osiris against his adversaries, and the mandate is what Thoth hath executed.

I am with Horus on the day of covering Teshtesh and of opening the fountains for the refreshment of the god whose heart is motionless, and closing the entrance to the hidden things in Restau.

I am with Horus, as the avenger of that left arm of Osiris which is in Sechem.

I enter in, and I come forth from the Tank of Flame on the day when the adversaries are annihilated at Sechem.

I am with Horus on the day when the festivals of Osiris are celebrated, and when offerings are made , on the Feast of the Sixth day of the Month, and on the Feast of Tenait in Heliopolis.

I am the Priest in Tattu and exalt him who is on the Height.

I am the Prophet in Abydos on the day when the earth is raised.

I am he who seeth what is shut up at Restau.

I am he who reciteth the liturgies of the Soul who is Lord of Tattu.

I am the Sem-priest in all that pertaineth to his office.

I am the Arch-Craftsman, on the day in which the Ship of Sokaru is laid upon its stocks.

I am he who seizeth the mattock, on the day of the Feast of Hoeing in Suten-henen.

No lightness of his in the scale has been found and the Balance is relieved of his case.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

NOTES.

The 'raising up' or 'resurrection' here spoken of is said not only of the soul but of the body of the deceased person. The papyrus of Nebseni has preserved two chapters, to which M. Naville has assigned the numbers 177 and 178.

'En rex Edwardus debacchans ut leopardus.'

An invocation to Osiris follows.

"Hail to thee, Prince of Amenta, Osiris, lord of Nifura; grant that I may advance in peace towards Amenta, and that the Lords of Tasert may receive me and say to me, 'Salutation! Salutation! in Peace!' let them make for me a seat by the Prince of the divine Powers, let the two Chenemta goddesses receive me, in presence of Unneferu, the Victorious. Let me be a follower of Horus in Re-stau, and of Osiris in Tattu. Let me assume all forms for the satisfaction of my heart in every place that my Genius wisheth."

"If this discourse is learnt upon earth, or is written upon the coffin, he may come forth upon every day that he pleaseth and again enter his house without impediment. And there shall be given to him bread and beer and flesh meat upon the table of R?: he shall receive allotment in the Fields of Aarru , and there shall be given to him there wheat and barley, for he shall be flourishing as when he was upon earth."

Footnote 5:

Footnote 6:

Footnote 7:

The evidence produced by W. Max M?ller in behalf of this reading of the priestly name is quite convincing.

Footnote 8:

Footnote 9:

This is one of the meanings of ???, but in this place it may simply mean 'going round in a ship.'

Oh thou Only One, who shinest from the Moon, let me come forth amid that train of thine, at large, and let me be revealed as one of those in glory.

NOTES.

Osiris is ?????, 'the leader of the host,' Sharpe, I, 105.

Oh Tmu, who proceedest from Ur-henhenu, who art resplendent as the Lion-faced, and who strewest thy words to those who are before thee;

I am Thoth as he goeth forth from the House of the Prince in Heliopolis.

NOTES.

The only ancient copy of this chapter is in the papyrus of Amen-neb , and here it is imperfect.

It is I who travel on the Stream which divideth the divine Pair, I am come, let there be given to me the lands of Osiris.

NOTES.

This fourth chapter has not as yet been found in any of the papyri of the best period.

NOTES.

I do not know how far it is correct to illustrate this undoubted origin of the Egyptian name for the Ape, as 'the saluting one,' by the following extract of a letter to Cuvier from M. Duvaucelle, about the Siamang apes in the neighbourhood of Bencoolen in Sumatra. "They assemble in numerous troops ... and thus united, they salute the rising and the setting sun with the most terrific cries, which may be heard at the distance of many miles; and which, when near, stun, when they do not frighten. This is the morning call of the mountain Malays, but to the inhabitants of the town, who are unaccustomed to it, it is a most insupportable annoyance."

The 'saluters' of the rising sun are neither real apes nor men but the "Spirits of the East" who, as we are told in an inscription of the tomb of Rameses VI, "effect the rising of R? by opening the door at each of the four portals of the eastern horizon of heaven. They it is who light him on both sides, and go forth in advance of him.... And when he arises they turn into six cynocephali."

The Egyptian words in the later texts are ??????? ?????????? the alternative reading being itself a proof that the difficulty of the text was already felt by some Egyptian scribe.

Footnote 10:

O Statuette there! Should I be called and appointed to do any of the labours that are done in the Netherworld by a person according to his abilities, lo! all obstacles have been beaten down for thee; be thou counted for me at every moment, for planting the fields, for watering the soil, for conveying the sands of east and west.

Here am I, whithersoever thou callest me.

NOTE.

Oh, One of Wax, who takest captive and seizest with violence, and livest upon those who are motionless! Let me not become motionless before thee, let me not be paralysed before thee, let not thy venoms enter into my limbs, for my limbs are the limbs of Tmu.

And if thou wouldst not be paralysed, let me not be paralysed.

Let not thy languors enter these limbs of mine.

I am the One who presideth over the pole of Heaven, and the powers of all the gods are my powers.

I am he, whose names are hidden, and whose abodes are mysterious for all eternity.

It is I who proceed from Tmu, and I am safe and sound.

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